Make a Wish Come True
by Elizabeth Carter
Summary: Entirely inspired by the little email Shepard gets during the Armax Arena matches about the little girl and Create a Dream (Make-a-Wish by any other name ). So expect a bit of fluff.


AUTHOR: Elizabeth E. Carter

TITLE: Make A Wish Come True

SERIES: Mass Effect

PAIRING: Paragon F Shepard / Liara

CATEGORY: humorous / comfort

RATING: PG

SPOILER ALERT: The new DLC: The Citadel mixed with my own fannon of Rising from the Ashes.

SUMMARY: Entirely inspired by the little email Shepard gets during the Armax Arena bouts about the little girl and Create a Dream (Make-a-Wish by any other name ). So expect a bit of fluff.

DISCLAIMER: Bioware owns the concept of Mass Effect and all of its characters. This fanfic is for entertainment and no profit what-so-ever

AN1: I use Tolkien's Elvish for Asarian because for such a beautiful race why not give them a language which is equally beautiful when heard? I'm betting at least most readers will have watched the movies and heard it.

For those who are not familiar. _Naneth_ means mother, _Nan _is momma, mommy and the like. _Arda_ is the other parent who is also the bondmate of the mother; _Ada_ is more of what a child's name for _Arda_. (For Tolkien they meant Father and daddy but I changed the meaning from masculine to a more general asexual name. I use 'sire' in some stories as reference to the siring parent who is not necessarily bonded to the mother) _Cón_ for Commander. And of course _Melethril_ is lover / love of my heart. _Gwen _is maiden. _Feredir_ is huntress

AN2 I'm basing my asari ages off the conversation between the asari in the market of Nos Astra. I'm thinking that 60 is around 18 for humans, so 20 is near a 10 year old. It's tough to be exact with them, so this is my own interpretation.

AN3: Yes I used the Play Arts action figure in this story. I only made to look like my Sam Shepard with black hair and blue eyes, but everything else is exactly the same. Why-oh-why Bioware couldn't you have given us this babe way back in ME1! My Sam might have even had red hair and green eyes! Nevertheless the default is stunning, so just use your imaginations and paint black hair and blue eyes on that face.

AN4: I have combined the Shadow and Fury talents into one and gave them to Shepard. In my mind, before biotics were truly understood, the Alliance treated all biotics as vanguards, even adepts. Later when the Alliance saw the true potential of biotics, mostly by watching the asari in combat, the Alliance realized the N7s had to step up their game. Thus they changed their teaching styles and the new order of N7s evolved. In my story Rising from the Ashes / Flight of the Phoenix, I have Shepard trained for a while by a team of Asari commandos. I believe whatever type of Shepard you're playing s/he should have the class appropriate (multiplayer) N7 talents. That was my reasons for morphing Shepard and I'm sticking to it.

MEMEMEMEMEME

Sam walked out of the simulator with a smile on her face. It was fun to relax, play in the arena, and sure, she was fighting as she did in the real battlefield, but at least here real lives were not hanging in the balance. The arena provided a perfect opportunity to explore new tactics, develop techniques and different tech explosions and just blow off steam.

The evil clone plagued the Spectre's mind relentlessly. The clone had existed in some ill-conceived project to replace Shepard with one completely loyal to Cerberus ideals, to the Illusive Man. Was it any wonder it was so embittered? Cerberus had turned and corrupted the clone's mind. It knew it was just a pale copy of the original Shepard; something to toss away if the Lazarus Project failed. Yes the perfect clone had been created, but it had none of the memories of the original, which also suggested it had none of the hang-ups and none of the loyalties the real Shepard possessed. The only other thing it shared with Sam besides her face and voice was her will and determination.

The Lazarus Project was shelved by The Illusive Man when Shepard had gone after the Collectors on her own willpower, on a ship she, with Miranda Lawson's help, had stolen from Cerberus: the _Normandy SR2_. What The Illusive Man didn't know, apparently, was that the clone hadn't been destroyed as he had ordered, but in fact had remained in cold-storage. That was until six months before the Reaper invasion when it was awoken by ex-Cerberus agent Maya Brooks. Over the intervening months during Shepard's incarceration, the clone learned "how to be human" with the help of neural implants, and with Brooks' help devised a plan to kill and assume the role of the Commander in order to carry out a purely pro-human agenda. To accomplish this, the clone hired the CAT6 private military corporation to eliminate Shepard and her close allies and bondmate.

It had failed. But it had left...she had left scars on the Spectre's soul. One amongst many left on her by the Reapers, the Protheans, the Collectors and Cerberus.

_Look at you. What makes you so damned special? Why you and not me?_

Sam had no answers for that. But she couldn't shake the words from her mind, couldn't shake the image of her clone-self falling deliberately to her death. It would haunt until the end of days.

As she had with all the nightmares previous, Liara strove to help her bondmate struggle though them with confronting her. The Shadow Broker also strove to distract her beloved in order to help her keep her mind off the terrible dreams, hence so much time spent at the combat arena. Sam now led the leader board by 10,000 points, and she had met many challenges offered to her. She had done it with no of medi-gel, no extra thermo-clips, and had confronted more and more elite enemies. Some challengers had required her to meet them with certain teammates; one with an Alliance-only squad and another with Javik. Some even came at her with heavy enemy enhancement. Samantha had taken on each and every one of the challenges and won with flying colors. There was definitely a reason she had been chosen to become an N7 and Spectre.

As she had dismantled her challengers and risen to the top of the score boards, many people had been watching. Her skill was unparalleled and had left people in awe. Multitudes of people had sent her fan emails and praise for her combat prowess, but there was one in particular that had stuck the Spectre's heart.

_Make a wish come true_

_From: Manava T'Khanna  
_

_Dear Commander,  
_

_I hope you'll give me a minute of your time, because I'm not a fundraiser. I'm a parent. My daughter Lati was diagnosed with a cerebral tumor a year ago today. After endless tests, the doctors finally went in with microsurgery machines and removed the bad tissue. Her outlook is positive, but the recovery has been slow. She doesn't have full use of her limbs._

_Lati wanted to be a huntress when she grew up, but she's afraid that the closest she will__ ever__ come is watching the games in the Citadel combat simulators. When she heard Commander Shepard was playing, she instantly knew what she wanted: to go to the Citadel and see you __play __live. A small charity called Help a Dream brought her here, and now we want to make one small request: that you fight the toughest Reapers in the simulator and dedicate the match to Help a Dream._

_Thank you so much. We'll be watching._

Sam of course knew of Create-a-Dream. She donated funds to them on a steady basis and occasionally offered items up, such as retired hard suits, in celebrity charity auctions to raise money from time to time. This was the first time she had ever become so directly involved with one of the children of the charity.

The Spectre read the email for a second time. This small child had been so brave, so remarkable to struggle against what nature had done to her. Sam was shocked however. Of all the great things and wonderful things little Lati T'Khanna could have asked for by the Create a Dream foundation she had asked for Commander Shepard: First human Spectre to beat the tar out of elite class holographic Reapers. The Commander felt a nagging sick sensation in her gut that slithered around at the possibilities of failure and breaking this child's heart. And that frightened her.

Oh sure, Shepard had been terrified on the ground of Rannoch facing off a Reaper with only a targeting laser, but to realize she was the hero of children? That was by far a scarier prospect. Little Lati's, or rather Ms T'Khanna's, letter wasn't the first she had received that spoke of hero worship from a child. Another parent of some children (a turian no less), had written to her saying she was their kids' hero and should she get into a scandal like other celebrities, to try and remember that kids looked up to her and wanted to be her when they grew up. In a very real way it was humbling.

_That its why me and not you_, Sam thought to her dead clone. _You wouldn't have cared about these kids. You wouldn't worry over the fact__ that__ this little girl gets to see her dream come true and __that __you have to live up to your reputation just so her little heart__ won't break__._

As she read the letter for the third time a seed of inspiration began to take root within her mind. Sam tapped the comm-system in her omni-tool that opened up radio link to the _Normandy_.

*Commander Shepard?* EDI's voice answered. *I can assure you we are still berthed in dry-dock and no evil clone has made a second attempt...*

"Not why I'm calling, EDI, but it's good to know my ship is where I left it. Actually I'm calling for something altogether different. Is there anyone on the crew still on the ship?"

*Affirmative, Specialist Traynor returned approximately two point six minutes ago.

"Approximately two point six minutes?" Shepard teased at the preciseness of her AI's report.

*I rounded up. I have discovered crewmembers are disinclined to hear time given to them down to the last decimal point.*

"Of course, good point. Hey, I thought Traynor was done with her input via the retrofit?"

*She is. It appears she has returned to the ship to secure the new toothbrush you bought her. She said 'Third time's the charm unless it's three strikes and I'm out.' I believe she is very adamant about not losing a third toothbrush.*

"I can imagine." Sam laughed at the image of Traynor and her six thousand credit toothbrushes. To be fair the young woman had a great smile and perfect teeth. So maybe it was money well spent. "Patch me through; I need to catch her before she leaves."

*Connecting you now, Commander.*

A moment later Traynor spoke, *Commander? EDI said you needed to talk to me before I left?*

"Yes. I need you to go into my quarters and retrieve something for me. You'll see the relevance once you bring it to me at the Armax Arena." The Spectre went on to explain her idea, which got a very undignified squeal of delight out of the Comm-Specialist.

*Oh I think that's a wonderful idea, Commander. I'll bring it right away!* There was a grin on the other end of the line, Shepard could tell. *Can I be there when you present it?*

"I don't have a problem with it. We just have to be careful not to overwhelm the little one."

*Of course, Commander, I understand.*

Shepard ran her mind over the details of the letter; she was to face the toughest of the Reapers in the combat simulator, which meant banshees, brutes and **ravagers**. There were no other stipulations other then she had to dedicate the match to the charity 'Create A Dream.' However Sam decided to keep using the challenges others had given her, no medi-gel packs or extra thermal clips, heightened shields and barriers on enemies, lowered shields for herself and allies.

Lara J. Delante, the Executive Producer of "Hour 20 with Azad Carter", which was a part of the Alliance News Network, had issued a challenge of sorts. Although it was more of a request as they wanted shots of the great Commander Shepard battling against the Reapers. Apparently the news group had been searching for an iconic bit of footage for their lead-in to the segment, but most of their Reaper-related battle footage had issues with bad lighting, unstable cameras, and significant amounts of risk. All Sam had to do was enter the simulator and fight Reaper enemies alone and their visual composers would do the rest.

Considering Armax Arena recorded its sessions, Miss Delante wanted the Spectre's permission to comb through videos of her fighting Reaper enemies for use in their segment. The news corp. had sent the relevant forms for using Shepard's likeness as well as a promise of compensation after the match was won. Sam agreed, but told 'Hour 20's' Executive Producer to send the aforementioned compensation to aid the refugees.

Daksa Teller Earth-Clan Talent Liaison, on behalf of Elkoss Combine for the Citadel Sports Division, wanted Shepard to battle elite class enemies on the Spin Zone. They wanted to become Shepard's corporate sponsor. Sam figured why not.

A pair of white, blue and gray clad armored arms slipped around the Commander's waist and held her tightly from behind. "You don't get enough of the Reapers on the battlefield?" Liara cooed into shell-like ear as she rested her chin on her bondmate's left shoulder. Sapphire eyes looked upon the choices on display: the Spin Zone, Reaper elites, solo mission and all of the handicaps.

Instead of explaining, the raven haired human pulled up the letter sent to her by Manava T'Khanna concerning her little girl Lati.

Liara kissed her wife's cheek. "There are days I fall in love with you all over again."

"Oh yeah?" dark eyebrows playful rose and fell as a mischievous grin slipped on the Spectre's bow shaped lips.

"Oh yes." Liara gave a teasing kiss to Samantha's cheek "So tell me, _Melethril__,_why must you do this alone?"

"Couple of reasons," Sam started to explain as she led her bondmate to the locker room. "One, the cool-factor for little Lati and two, 'Hour Twenty' said they needed footage of me fighting Reapers for their news leads—supposed to boost moral and all. And they agreed that the normal stipend they'd pay celebrity gigs like this would go to the relief fund for refugees. Someone from some sports thingy named Daksa Teller is a talent guy and wants to be my corporate sponsor. I figure that would be good for moral as well. All good things."

"Let me look over anything before you sign up with any corporation, Samantha."

"What, you don't think I can negotiate a contract?" The Spectre rose a dark eyebrow.

"I do not think you've had to negotiate with a volus. You are a glorious huntress, my beloved, but you do not speak cooperate."

"Hey I did alright with that ExoGeni guy and Lorik Qui'in."

"You manipulated them yes, and beautifully, too. But you didn't have to sign anything. Think of this like a contract negotiation on Illium; do not agree to anything other then this display. Promise me."

Sam kissed Liara upon her blue lips then pulled away and smiled her most charming smile she could muster. "Okay I promise. Don't worry so much."

"_Melethril _with you worrying is almost a constant."

"I'll be fine." Another kiss, this time it was upon the native Thessian's neck. Sam deliberately hummed against the delicate folds knowing how much of an erogenous zone they were for asari. When Liara moaned Sam flicked out her tongue to trail against them causing another moan to flutter out. "Don't worry," she whispered before pulling away a second time.

Liara's eyes had gone completely black. Sam grinned as she watched her bondmate shiver, close her eyes and recover herself. The teasing had earned her a gentle, if not a chiding push.

"You are a terrible tease," Liara berated.

"I'd say I was a very _good_ tease." Sam smirked.

Liara shook her head but she was smiling. "Go and win this thing so I might steal you way after."

A third kiss. And " Every moment after." A fourth kiss and she was gone.

Shepard passed through the doors of the locker room to gear up, leaving Liara a moment to herself. She hadn't simply been flirting when she told Samantha that there were days when she fell in love with her all over again. Sometimes those insistences were time when Samantha was making her worry with dread: Destroying the Collector Base, fighting a blood raged yahg in hand to hand combat, confronting a Reaper on foot on both Tuchanka and Rannoch, then going to the ocean floor on some forgotten world to confront Leviathan face to face. Liara was very firm on the stance that the only 'tentacled monster' she wanted in Samantha's head was her.

At least this time it was a benign cause. Simulated monsters proved a challenge, but not a true life and death threat.

After a heartbeat the Shadow Broker was ascending the stairs that lead from the competitor's area to the viewing area so she might watch her bondmate's match. Upon arrival she saw many people jostling for a good view, and among their number were the familiar faces of Tali and Garrus. Liara nodded to them and started towards them but stopped she heard the velvet tones of a Pirate Queen.

"Should have figured she'd be the one to beat my score," Aria T'Loak groused. "Ten thousand points. The damned Queen of Nice...fucking Spectre." As much as she complained though, not soon forgotten was the priceless moment that the lavender-skinned matriarch saw something she'd never thought to see: Shepard shooting that fucking bastard Petrovsky after he had surrendered. During the whole mission to retake Omega, Shepard had been the goodie goodie. Aria nearly died in that reactor room because Shepard waited so damn long trying to save everyone. Then blam! At the end the girl shoots fucking Petrovsky.

_Nice__ to see I had some influence on her__, and good thing to, because__ for a moment I was worried she was corrupting me like a damned disease._

The Pirate Queen pointedly ignored the young maiden's comment about 'turning over a new leaf.' Aria had marked that up to Shepard's blasted altruism and to Liara being a naive little maiden, even if she was a bloody heroic one. Aria would never tell Shepard this, but not only did the Queen of Omega respect Shepard, she counted the raven haired human as one of her closest friends. Shepard was a little like Nyreen in that aspect; Feisty, good looking (for a human) and she was a damned artist in the battlefield and one hell of a powerful biotic. Aria only hoped to the goddess the kid wouldn't end up like her former lover, and die a hero's death. Dammed-stupid-beautiful-feisty-sexy Nyreen!

A coy smile slid across the matriarch's face as she recalled the kiss she gave the human Specter after it was all over. It shocked the hell out of Sam Shepard, so much so that she had been utterly speechless. The kid hadn't responded but she hadn't resisted either, Aria chuckled to herself. The Pirate Queen turned to see T'Soni near by and could not help but wonder if Shepard told her little Prothean expert about the kiss or not.

Liara smiled prideful on the behalf of her bondmate. She had seen many an emotion trickle across the matriarch's face. Some more curious than others. The younger asari also couldn't help but feel a bit of smug possessiveness over her bondmate. Samantha had told her of the spontaneous little kiss Aria had planted on her unsuspecting lips. As quick as it came it was over, her beloved figured it was a bit like the kiss they had shared after killing the former Shadow Broker on his base. But the one with Aria had been with less passion and no love, it was just a thing.

The Shadow Broker smirked thinking, sure, Aria had a stolen kiss, but the younger asari had the whole package, and often several times a night. Her thoughts continued along this line as she witnessed yet another member of the Shepard fan-club (or as the clone called it, the Cult-of-Shepard) enter the scene.

Next to the seductive matriarch stood a young woman whose body was completely covered in tattoos. "Hell, even if you beat it you won't beat her; the Queen of the Girl Scouts is doing the next match for charity." Jack pointed to the notice board that stated all betting proceeds for this match would be going directly to the Create-A-Dream foundation. Liara noticed there was an equal grin of pride on the biotic's face as she said this. "Nobody beats Shepard, not even you, Queen of Omega."

"Let's hope that boast is true when she's faces that asshole Harbinger," Aria said, her voice crisp, and if Liara was correct the tone was not directed at either Samantha or Jack, but at the accursed leader of the Reapers.

"You and me both, T'Loak," Jack said. "But he-ey it's Shepard, she'll come through. Always does. Didn't she help your dream come true?" the ex-convict turned biotic teacher laughed at her own joke. "Got you back Omega."

"She did and she saved your sorry tattooed ass with all your little students from Cerberus."

"Hey, why the fuck do you think I call her Queen of the Girl Scouts? And I'll tell you this for free, Omega. I'll follow her to the ends of the universe. No questions."

"Did you not already do that?" quipped Aria.

"Yep." There was a proud smile. "When I first saw her, she said she was going to rescue me off that damned prison ship. Pft. I thought she was a pussy and a little too shiny. When someone is that shimmering in virtuous crap they have something slimy they are trying to make up for. And you can't trust'em.

"But Shepard can get dark and turn into a real bitch if you push her. When we went after Thane, one of them Eclipse guys wouldn't give-up the four-one-one on what she needed, said he had nothing more to say to her. So Shepard sent that guy right through a fucking window. She watched him fall and said 'How about goodbye?' Laughed my ass off when I heard that.

"I was all wrong about her too. Figure she'd use me and toss me out once she got what she wanted like everyone else." Jacks' voice got soft. She recalled that last battle on the Collector base, the hybrid had destroyed the platforms they were standing upon when it was killed. The broken surface sent Jack falling to her death. Shepard didn't even hesitate, she flung her body down and slid after Jack, caught her and wouldn't let go. "She didn't. Nearly gave up her fucking life to save mine. God-damn Queen of the Girl Scouts."

Aria smirked. "She does tend to get results." The CEO of Omega thought the same when she first met Shepard. Omega really didn't care about her and besides, the Spectre was just too shinny. Too clean cut. But then the human went and shot that Cerberus asshole in the head right at point blank range after he surrendered. Aria knew when pushed and when it was necessary Sam Shepard could become very dark. She'd make a person burn. In a lot of ways Shepard reminded Aria of the Justicars. Virtuous yes, but if they needed they would not hesitate to kill ruthlessly.

_That's why I trust her and why I'll cover her too-shinny virtuous ass. Hell__,__ in another life, in another time I might have taken her as a lover. Bet she's a wildcat between the sheets._

Overhearing the exchange between pirate and ex-con, Liara fully agreed with the sentiments. The Prothean expert had every confidence in her beloved bondmate and that assuredness also was painted in the blood of fear of what it might cost for this war to be won. The worst part of it was, the Shadow Broker knew her Samantha would pay the ultimate price if needs be. Liara prayed to the Goddess such a levy would never have to be paid.

"He-ey if it aint Mrs. Blue Shepard," Jack belted out as soon as she spotted Liara. Behind her Aria chortled at the title.

"The proper salutation is _Dr_. T'Soni, _Jennifer_. Asari do not give up their names when they become bondmates, we are not owned by our partners," Liara responded haughtily.

"Whatever, Blue. Try telling you aint her woman to Shepard. I bet if anyone tries a move on you they're toast. Good thing she knew that Feron guy was just a friend or he'd be a new pair a drell-leather boots by now." The tattooed woman laughed. "And it's _Jack, _no matter what you found out," the last sentence had a bit of venom to it. "I _choose_ who I am."

"As you wish, Jack. As for the other, oh I am very defiantly Shepard's," Liara said proudly as she shifted her gaze from the young human biotic adept to Aria for a moment. "As she is _mine,_ but we need not lose our identities because we are bonded."

"Whatever you say, Blue." Jack leaned her weight upon one foot and in a very Shepard like manner folded her arms under her breasts, "So why aint'cha down there watching your girl's ass?"

"Samantha wished to enter this match alone for the benefit of the Create-A-Dream child she is doing this for."

Aria sauntered up. "Such an act makes her look more heroic if she doesn't have a squad covering her flanks."

"Pfft. Like I said, Pirate Queen, even if you or I break ten thousand we can't beat her score." Jack scoffingly chuckled, "No one can. Somebody should have told her evil clone that. It would have saved a whole mess of trouble."

"Indeed. Not to mention it would have saved my favorite sushi restaurant," Liara nodded in agreement.

"Is that what happened to it?" Aria frowned. "I should have gathered it was Shepard. Things tend to have a nasty habit of exploding around her. That place was one of the few decent places around to eat and that also served Novarian rum."

"I thought Samantha sent you a crate she confiscated when the _Normandy_ was there on Noveria to shut down a Cerberus base?" uttered Liara a little confused.

"Yes she did, but that is besides the point." The scowl on the Pirate Queen's face was clear she didn't like that little fact outed. There was no need to advertise her favor could be gained via a crate of alcohol, no matter how fine.

Across the Citadel others were draw in by the live presentation of the Arena's next match. In Fighting McDonagh's sports-bar, a big screen TV was tuned in on the production. Seated around a table near the front, with fresh hot pizza currently being eaten and several beers, were Ashley Williams, Steve Cortez and James Vega.

"Man you got some _cajones_ telling Shepard she's only a pretender." Vega took a healthy swing of his beer. "After her evil clone said the same thing to her, you held a gun to her head too, just like her clone. That had to sting the commander."

Cortez, the soft spoken shuttle pilot, swallowed a bite of pepperoni pizza before he spoke. "You didn't actually mean those things, did you?" His voice didn't sound so sure. The relationship between the Commander and humanity's newest Spectre was tenuous at best.

"Ah, come on, Steve, you know it was just trash-talk." Williams shrugged. "She didn't take me seriously. Hey, she called me _princess_." Although truth be told she had completely forgotten the clone had said virtually the same thing. _Damn…_

"Only after you kept diss'ner," Vega laughed "all in public too. It's like you _wanted_ to show her up in front of everyone, chica. Or maybe it's just Shepard. Other human chicas can't stand her power or something. But if that were true Miranda and Jack would be putten' on the hate too."

Ash didn't say anything at first. She had to admit she wanted a little one-upsmanship with the great Commander Shepard. But maybe it should have been done in the Shepard-T'Soni love nest rather than a public venue like the Silver Coast. They might have even gotten to finish the drinking contest instead of being interrupted by those two shit-for-brains assholes who nearly started a bar brawl.

"I don't hate her," Ash finally whispered, "I was just…I don't know, being one of the guys."

Williams had just wanted to blow-off steam and remember what it was to be friends again. Since that moment on the Presidium with the Councilors, and Ash pointing a gun at her, Shepard had distanced herself from Williams. In fact Ash was a little surprised she had been allowed on the _Normandy_ rather than sent to Hackett. Shepard's way of punishing her for that lack of trust was not to take her on any missions. It was always Liara, Garrus and Tali. It was starting to piss Ash off that she was never chosen. Even EDI got to go on a few missions. So yeah, when Williams called Shepard a pretender there was a part of her…that meant it.

Their friendship once so very strong was now almost non-existent. The two were only colleagues now. Williams simply tolerated, just like Jacob Taylor had been, and to be fair most of that was on Ash's shoulders. After Shepard's incarceration, Williams had deliberately distanced herself from the Specter. She didn't want to be marked by the blemish of what had happened at the Alpha gate just because she was once on Shepard's crew. She worked too damn hard to clean up the Williams curse to be brought low once again. More than a few admirals (excluding Anderson, Hackett and Hannah Shepard) made it pretty damn clear that it was a distinct possibility. If Williams wanted a free-and clear of her grandfather's legacy she couldn't be an outspoken advocate for Shepard, despite all of the elder woman's heroics.

Six months and Ash never once tried to contact her. The evidence she gave to the tribunal wasn't exactly supportive of the Spectre, but she hadn't been completely damning either. It had hurt the Skipper deeply Williams had done this, not believing in her even more so. Maybe calling Shepard a pretender hadn't been the best thing for the young, newly minted Lieutenant-Commander / Spectre to do to ingratiate herself back into her former friend's good graces.

At best, Ash had been allowed back onto the _Normandy_. Those of the old crew that still served on her, Tali, Garrus Liara and even Joker, wouldn't talk to her now unless absolutely necessary. In their eyes what Ash had done against and didn't do for Shepard was unforgivable, especially the whole holding-Shepard-at-gun-point thing. The only one that was still amenable was Dr. Chakwas, though in a cold clinical way.

So Williams had started forming a friendship with Lieutenants James Vega and Steve Cortez, though the latter was growing colder and colder now as well. After Cortez had learned about what Williams had said during that little drinking game in the Silver Coast casino, he wasn't so keen on continuing a friendship with Ash. Not that Williams blamed Steve. She knew why he was so protective of the heroic woman. Shepard had helped him mourn the loss of his husband, helped him to become stronger and able to let go. Made him feel worthy once more. Shepard had once done that for Williams as well, but that seemed like a hundred years ago now.

"If Shepard's pissed about what I said about her being a pretender I'll make it up to her." Williams said forcing her mind back to the conversation. "Somehow."

"And what about the whole pointing a gun in her face? So much for being her Trusted," Challenged Cortez. "I'm a little surprised she even let you back on the _Normand_y. But then I thought about it. And the more I thought about it the more it started making sense. She's good. I mean really good. They say Shepard is as subtle as an explosion, but I think what she did is very subtle. Almost Machiavellian but not so evil."

"What are you talking about, Estabon?" Vega took another swig of his beer. "You saw what happened at that sushi place. BALM! Dead fishies everywhere. She can't go anywhere without something going kaboom. Aint nothing Machiavellian about stopping your own evil clone or falling through a giant ass fish tank."

Many faces turned towards their table. A sports bar was generally filled with cheering patrons or booing ones, and often argumentative ones, the latter being tossed out on their drunken sorry asses, but few patrons ever cheered, during commercials, which were now currently playing on the screen.

"I'm not talking about that," the normally quite pilot said in an explanatory manner. "I meant what happed with you, Williams. You've been grounded and you don't even seem to know it. Best thing Shepard could have done for you would have been to send you on your merry way and take Hackett's offer of a command your own."

"She very nearly did," Williams said, "But I…wanted to be on the _Normandy_. To…" she was about to say something like 'be like the old days.' But those days were long gone. They were gone the day Williams turned her back on Shepard and began treating her like a pariah just as the Council and Alliance Brass had. "I wanted to prove myself to her, again." In a quieter voice she muttered, "I didn't want to be railroaded."

"Yeah? Maybe you should have taken Hackett's offer." Cortez leaned forward staring into the deep brown eyes of the marine. "It would have given you your own power, the opportunity to a true Spectre, a true leader. But instead Shepard gave you _exactly_ what you wanted Ash: to be on the _Normandy. _And after you got what you wished for she made sure you didn't get off again unless it was for shore leave. Now that is brilliant maneuvering." The shuttle pilot dug into his fourth pizza slice. "You really must have pissed her off well and truly good."

Ash didn't say a word. She picked at the various toppings of her pizza and stared at the combat simulator's spinning logo reappearing on the massive wall mounted TV screen in front of them.

Sometimes getting your wish isn't a good thing.

Sometimes having a dream come true makes all the difference in the world.

*Tonight Armax Arena is proud to present a special broadcast. Spectre-agent Commander Shepard is donating tonight's match to the Create-a-Dream foundation!*

The arena's audience roared and cheered. One little girl in particular was ecstatic when she heard the announcer's news.

"Nan! Nan! Commander Shepard's match is finally starting!" a young asari maiden squealed from her confined seat of her hover chair. Despite her tiny frame she looked to be around eight or ten years old; in truth she was twenty years old. Asari age significantly slower then most races, save perhaps the krogan, and at twenty years old Lati T'Khanna was very much the child she looked.

Young Lati was dressed in black sweat pants that had the red N7 honor strip going down the length of the right leg, as did her black tee-shirt she was wearing, which also had a screen-print of the _Normandy_ on it. Above the print in asarian script was the words: 'Beat the odds.' Beneath the print were the words: 'Make the impossible happen.' These words held special meaning to the girl who was still recovering from a cerebral tumor as they did to her mother.

Great wide green eyes shimmered in jubilation as the young maiden watched the raven haired human Spectre walk into the mettle gantries of the Spin Zone which had been set up to look like a space station or cargo bay of a dreadnought.

"Look at her, Nan, she looks just like her action-figure!" Lati held a toy of Shepard up so the toy might 'see' the match being played out.

The eight inch fully jointed action figure of the human specter was equipped with a plastic omni-tool blade and little N7 Hurricane SMG. Exactly the weapons Shepard tended to favor. The figure had the same style black hair which draped just shoulder length and the fringe hung a bit over her right eye. The eyes of course had been pained the same brilliant sky-blue. The toy had cost sixty credits but Manava had thought the expenditure worth it as it gave her little girl courage during all her stays at the hospital and every day since. Lati never went anywhere without it.

To see such joy in her daughter's eyes brought tears to the matron's emerald eyes. Lati never really knew her Arda. Her bondmate, a huntress of the Serrice province had died when her child was just three years old. While it was not uncommon for asari mothers to raise their daughters alone, there were times when there wasn't a choice and the partner was taken from the family. After loosing Vastra, Manava only had Lati left. Her daughter had become everything to her. And when the doctors diagnosed her child with a cerebral tumor the matron nearly lost all hope.

Lati had courage though, the sort of courage no child should have to have. And she had it all because of one human woman. Samantha Shepard an Alliance Commander, a Spectre, and Lati's hero. Manava saw only a soldier. She just prayed to the goddess Shepard didn't disappoint her child by being a mere mortal and not some great omnipotent hero Lati claimed she was.

"You are going to beat them all aren't you?" Lati asked the plastic doll in a small voice.

The girl lowered her voice an octave trying to sound like an adult. "Of course I am but only with your help _feredir _Lati. Spectre Shepard cannot do this without her favorite _gwen _at her side." The doll was bounced to indicate speech. "Together we will beat those Reapers all the way back to dark space!"

"You bet we will,_ Cón_." Lati grinned. "And I will fly the _Normandy,_ for you! I'd be ever as good as Joker."

Shepard turned to the VIP lounge where she knew the young girl was going to be and saluted. Had she been privy to see the child fully the Spectre might have witnessed a tiny replica of herself bounce off a lap and clatter to the floor when the salute was returned by a trembling little hand which had to be guided by a mother's gentle touch for it had lost its strength and articulation.

*Round One* the simulated female voice of the arena's computer said just before the klaxon sounded.

A hoard of husks rushed the single combatant who had taken position in the center of the arena. From here there was two possible entry points. Shepard laid down a _singularity_ on the ramp to the south and took to the north. Here she set down another singularity and fortified her position with a barrier bubble. The barriers would do nothing against the physical attacks of the undead creatures but it would against those that followed: the scions.

Mindlessly the creatures rushed their prey, heedless of the deaths of those that fell in front of them, they cared not for the shockwaves and flares that tore into their ranks. What biotics did not strike down bullets tore asunder.

Scions and cannibals came. Their shockwaves hitting their own as much as it was meant to strike the Spectre. Shepard took refuge behind a wall within the center. Only her barriers kept their power from taking her. Now was too soon to use the tsunami, but not the reave she cast in order to steal away the life-force of her foes to embolden herself.

The voice of the computer kept an accounting of kill streaks, thrice it was at maximum. The round was over. Shepard was standing near the hovering diamond bounce marker and hit it giving her total points another boost. The computer counted down to the beginning of the next round.

Shepard sprinted across the yard to a new position. The new wave introduced itself with a raid of husks, scions and introduced the ravagers—Reaper indoctrinated rachni cyborgs, and with them came the smaller hoards of swarmers, as well as marauders. Near the end of the round the arena would release at least two brutes. The important part was to neutralize the marauders as soon as possible to stop them from buffing the husks and cannibals.

Position was crucial. Juxtaposed against the center stage where the drop of new incursion of enemies was due, Shepard plated a trilateral singularity. The husks would be trapped for a precious few seconds giving the commander time to set up with a defensive parameter on the western flank. Her target wasn't the flood of husks but the onrushing big bads. Two cannibals closing in fast.

Encasing her body in an annihilation field to give her better offensive protection. Her first act wasn't to pull the trigger but to sent out a reave to weaken them, the second a shockwave. It would not kill the twin cannibals but it weakened them. The third move wasn't to raise her N7 Hurricanes, it was to draw her sword.

In the Bar:

"What the hell is she doing!" Ash roared at the screen. "A fucking sword? Against cannibals?"

"You haven't seen what she can do with that thing," Steve said.

"I saw it on Mars," Williams countered. "Did some biotic thingy withit powerful then against grunts. But what good did it do against that Kai Leng fuck on the Citadel or Thessia? A big fat zero that's what. She wasn't even able to touch that Leng guy. She should just stick to her guns and leave dueling with fracking sword to ancient history and vids."

"She isn't _just_ a soldier, Ash, she's a biotic adept…an N7 Slayer. They use swords."

"I thought those were vanguards," Vega said before grabbing a handful of popcorn to shove in his mouth. "she's an adept."

"True, but as you know the N7 program treated all biotics as vanguards for years despite their aptitude. Shepard was trained as a vanguard. It wasn't until five years later after she graduated from the N7 program the Alliance took stock in the true biotic potential and started using class specializations just like the asari troopers. Now we have Furies, Shadows, Paladins, Destroyers, Demolishers, and _Slayers_. And Slayers can do a hell of a lot of damage with a biotic slash and shadow strikes."

"True. And yeah that Leng fucker is the Commander's equal but incase you didn't notice, Ash, that SOB is also armed with a sword."

"Yeah true. But I'm just sayin' if the Commander just shot that asshole then she wouldn't have lost that fight on Thessia or the Citadel for that matter. If it were me, I would have shot him between the eyes and have been done with it."

"That's not how Slayers are trained," Steve argued. "And it was you back on the Citadel. You didn't do so well against those Cerberus phantoms either."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash growled.

"Just saying guys armed with swords and biotics nearly had you too. And just a warning LC, knocking the N7 Slayers won't win you any favors with our Commander. You're on thin ice with her as it is, you really want to push it?"

"How come you know so much about the N7's, Estabon?" James decided to steer the conversation away from what would surly become a nasty argument.

"You're not the only Shepard fan. And you're going to become one of their Destroyers. And answer me this, what Alliance grunt doesn't look up to the N7s?"

"None I know of. Well maybe one." Vega took a look to Williams.

"Hey! I like the N7s," the dark haired woman answered defensively "They get there because they earn it. Shepard earned her place, I never said she didn't!" Despite all her accomplishments never once had Ash been asked to join their ranks and yet she was good enough, worthy enough to be a Spectre. So why wasn't she good enough to be an N7 when James 'crash a shuttle to stop a bad guy' was?

"All I'm saying is that fancy sword biotic slashing won't make a god-damn dent in a cannibal," Ash groused. "Shepard didn't use all those parlor tricks when we fought the geth three years ago, she doesn't need them now."

"Maybe you forgot when you abandoned her during the fight against the Collectors, but our commander has evolved," Cortez countered. "And yeah, maybe Kai Leng was her match, but he won't get away a third time. Just LOOK at her dance!"

"She moves like a god-damn asari huntress. Spinning and cartwheeling like that. It's like she knows where they're going to hit before they do," Vega said watching Shepard spin into another butterfly kick as she sent a biotic slash again and again into the host of husks rushing her. "But Ash his right, biotics need a cool down, leaves you too vulnerable. Unstable. A gun is more reliable."

"Tell that to asari commandos," Steve countered.

No one wanted to countermand that remark. And wisely so.

"It's the echo game," Ash said absentmindedly. Realizing just how the Skipper was combating the enemy. She knew just how effective the technique was. Despite her earlier remarks on biotic powers, she had to admit this maneuver was very effective. "Watch this. You're going to like it."

Shepard flipped backwards, sending first a _slash_ into the husks, then spun around and aimed a _dark channel_ into the mass to plague the zombified creatures with a persistent, damaging biotic field. The effect transferred to a second target when the first was killed. The effect lasted for only thirty seconds, but long enough to devastate the clustered ranks of the enemy which included the cannibals

She needed a further eight seconds for her body to recharge, and in the battlefield those seconds could last an eternity, which was why no biotic went into theater without firearm back up. With her N7 Eagle pistol she fired directly into the lead cannibal's bulbous postulant torso before she readied a charge. The thing reeled nearly toppling over, but did not quite fall.

She felt her biotics flare once more. Armed with both katana and omni-blade the Commander biotically charged the hulking thing that was once a batarian.

Arms behind her like a diving hawk, Shepard rushed her enemy, just as she reached them her arms came out, steel and holographic blade scissored into mutilated flesh. With the _dark channel_ still running rampant amongst the enemy numbers the charge created an explosion of dark energy. The scream of the thing's death knell echoed though out the arena. Yet the cheers of the audience and the elation of one little girl overrode it.

"Nan! Nan did you see that? Did you see it? It was wonderful! I never, never saw anything blow up like that! Not for real."

"That's called a biotic explosion, my little fearie. It takes precision, timing and the right combination of powers to make it happen," the child's mother explained.

"I bet she can do it all the time. She has so many kill streaks."

"She is an artist on the battlefield, fighting as beautifully as any huntress," Manava agreed. "I find it curious that her command over mass effect energy is easily generated and more precise than any non-asari I have ever seen,"the matron murmured mostly to herself. She could not fathom how a human biotic could become so powerful without being a product of a syringe.

"Nan." Lati was a glow in her excitement, her voice slightly shining in the way a child's can grow when _they_ have to explain something fundamentally simple to an adult. "That's because she's a hero, _Naneth_."

Lati watched in pride as her hero faced a new unslought of husks accompanied by marauders. The Spectre set them up as before with a _singularity_, and then hit them with _dark channel_. She kept on the move as not to become pinned down or boxed in. Marauders were faster, stronger than cannibals and they were armed. Shepard vaulted the retainer wall she had been taking cover behind, sprinted up the nearby stairs and hurried in a low crouch along the walkway to take up a new flanking position. For the moment she was out of enemy fire, but it would not last.

It was to Shepard a sweet mercy that she didn't have to put up with the boasting and threats of Harbinger as she fought these holographic horrors as she did when she fought the true abominations.

Her body surged anew in the brilliant blue glow of element zero. The Spectre made a split second decision on how to utterly eliminate the ranks of enemies. _Flare_ was one of the most destructive biotic powers, having a blast radius the size of grenades and destructive power almost as great. It was a technique Aria had shown her, it was in essence a great gift to have been bestowed upon the Spectre. The only downside was that it also had the longest cooldown of any biotic power save for the _tsunami _which was the greatest of all the powers to unleash. The marauders fell with a spectacular eruption.

Round three added three more enemies to those already in play: praetorian, the red abominations and, worst of all, the banshees. Shepard was more than grateful the arena hadn't generated harvesters. But considering the logistics of their flight maneuvering in the arena's confines was no doubt a holo-programmer's nightmare, they hopefully hadn't bothered.

As before, Shepard set up a _singularity_ trap and took cover as best as she was able. She thought tonight she would give the audience such a spectacle they would be speaking about it for days to come. It should give a great boost in moral as well. But it would have to wait until the banshees descended. Until such time _flares, slashes, charges, _as well as _dark channel_, _pulls, slams,_ _throws _in addition to cluster grenades would more than suffice to hold the line. It wasn't that Shepard didn't want to use her weapons fire, but she felt now was a time to prove a point to biotic-skeptics, especially to those on her crew that a biotic was indeed a true force to reckon with. It would also give the program 'Hour 20' something to air.

Since adapting the training of the asari commandos, Sam had evolved in her abilities as a biotic. She was now indeed an equal of a young huntress serving at least two decades in the asari military.

Up in the VIP lounge, Lati watched as Shepard flitted from one vantage point to another. _Flares_ utterly decimated marauders. _Dark channels_, _annihilation fields _and_ slashes _tore into the hides of cannibals. _Slams, warps_ and _shockwaves _took out hordes of husks.

The girl was mesmerized that her hero didn't even seem phased when she took enemy fire, her hardsuit absorbing most of the damage. A few times she had lost shields, but her barriers held strong, protecting her.

"She's amazing, Naneth!" Lati squealed in delight. She turned her brilliant blue eyes gaze to see her mother smiling at her. She was too excited to see the faint worry in her mother's gaze.

Manava's worry was founded on her child becoming over-stimulated, which would cause her to suffer another bout of fatigue illness which in turn would cause a relapse in her overall recovery. But her daughter had never been happier. Perhaps this was just the thing to help Lati to become stronger. Her little one already showed more muscle control today than she had in a long time. Her ability to hold onto her toy was longer than usual and she had only dropped the doll half as much as she normally did, and that was no small thing.

The more she watched Lati watch Shepard, the more Manava appreciated this human woman. More and more the matron was beginning to appreciate the depth of who and what the Spectre was. She gave that most fragile, most coveted commodity in the galaxy—hope.

"This is the part where both the brutes and the banshees make contact, Nan," Lati said trying to sound more like a proper huntress. "I read all about them.

"Shepard's best bet against the brutes is to use incredible speed against them, dodging out of the way of their charges and lighting them up with any armor-breaking powers at her disposal. She can't use her _shadow strike_, their hide is too tough. But she can use _warp _and a s_ingularly_ and…and…and…ooh I can't think of it."

"A _flare__,_" supplied her mother. "And what of the banshee?" Abominations created from abominations…

The worst of all Reaper minions in Manava mind were the husks of defeated Ardat-Yakshi. They were known as banshees, so named for their ear-piecing howls that preceded their appearance. They possessed immense biotic power and their barriers were some of the strongest known to any sentient, their _dashes_ made them almost impossible to dodge away from unless you possessed the ability to _charge_. They had their own version of a _flare_ which was devastatingly deadly and their melee attacks could finish off a trooper with a single strike. After seeing them in a news feed transmitted from fallen Thessia, Manava had felt her own center shatter, her sense of self shaken.

Yes, so far the only banshees thus far had been Ardat-Yakshi, but what would stop the Reapers from converting healthy asari?

Manava looked at her little girl in a new light, perhaps right now the fact she was recovering a cerebral tumor was a blessing in disguise. The Reapers would have no use for a handicapped asari maiden. If…if they somehow won, some how took control over the Citadel, they would kill her child outright. Lati would be spared the horrors of being turned into an abomination. If it ever came to that, Manava had two cyanide capsules at the ready, she'd never let the Reapers take her or her precious daughter.

She had no idea how many prayers she had offered up to the Goddess for Lati's recovery. Now she offered up even more prayers that Shepard would lead the galaxy to victory. Watching the human battle the hordes of Reapers she didn't know what to think. The Spectre seemed daring, brave, determined and persevering. She also seemed to be very, very crazy.

Shepard charged one of the brutes, firing her N7 Eagle directly at the vulnerable grafted turian head. But all she seemed to do was to enrage the creature. It roared and charged. Shepard flipped backwards and started running the way she had just come, but she was running not away from danger but directly into the path of the other brute.

Like a batter sliding into home-plate, Shepard hit the deck and slid between the creature's legs just as the one chasing her careened into his brother. The reaction was precisely what the commander was counting on. One big dog-fight.

While they were distracted there was precious few seconds before the banshees arrived. On all sides were husks, a marauder and a damned ravager. There was a small window of opportunity before her new cover was besieged on all sides. It was now or never.

"Naneth?" Lati's voice suddenly became pitched in a very worried tone. "What is she doing? They will take her!"

"I do not know, sweetheart," Manava whispered, placing a comforting hand upon the girl's shoulder. "But I shant think to count her out yet, Little Fearie."

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" Aria asked as she stood watching along side Liara and the former convict. "She has no real cover…Tell me she has some crazy-ass thing in mind."

Liara knew what she was planning, as did Jack. They had both seen the _tsunami_ effect. And both knew why the Commander had waited until now to activate the power. It would leave her vulnerable, risky enough doing with a full squad covering your flanks, doing it solo was suicide. Despite the enemy being holographic Samantha wouldn't take the risk unless she had a backup plan. True she had thinned the number of husks that had threatened to overwhelm her position with a constant volley of lift grenades.

In those precious few moments she had, the Spectre bunked down and began the process to set up the tsunami. First the _reave_: to draw power—fuel in which to power the second step.

Within the arena every eye was now watching Shepard. Voices murmured at what she was doing and why. Biotics knew a _reave_ when they saw one. They also recognized that something was very odd about how and why it was being deployed, or rather storehoused. Yes, the power could draw-in the life force of multiple targets, but this was wholly different. The more she pulled, the more her body glowed, the more power she would have when released.

Without a team covering her, Sam knew she would not be able to draw in as much as she liked, but thankfully she only had to target the banshees. Their screams were closing in fast; even the chaos caused by the battling brutes would not deter them much longer. Shepard had to let go now before the screeching abominations were on her.

Her body curled up, reminiscent of when Harbinger had seized control over his Collector generals. Unlike the insectiods however, her body wasn't emitting a brilliant golden halo, but a shimmering glow of blue. Unfolding, Shepard's body sent out all the dark energy she had harvested in a great wave.

While not the full brunt of _tsunami_ power she might have had if conjoined with Liara, the wave was powerful enough to tear into the remaining ranks of Reapers like flood waters through a papier-mâché dam. The foresight of previously planted _dark channel_ and _singularities_ set off a chain biotic explosion, further weakening the complement of enemy combatants.

Sam fell to her knees drawing in great greedy gulps of precious air. That's when a spindly hand snatched out and grabbed her about the throat and hoisted her up into the air.

'_NO!'_ the commander heard Liara's scream in her mind.

Sam came face to face with a banshee. This was not the first time she had been snatched about the throat and dangled aloft. As she had with Saran, Shepard drew back and punched her captor in the face, in hopes to shock it into dropping her. This time however her fist contained a grenade and drove it deep into the gapping maw of the creature.

The banshee choked on the small explosive and immediately dropped her pray. Sam had seconds to roll away before the corrupted former asari exploded. The second was on her but so weakened by the _tsunami_ she could not stand before the Spectre as she raised her N7 Hurricane and fired. It fell by her feet, blue holographic blood spattering Shepard's armor.

When she stood up, Shepard saw no enemy; the bodies of the protected enemies had vanished leaving only the metal gangplanks behind. Catching her breath once more, the Spectre looked up to the scoreboard and saw it had yet again been maxed out. A self satisfied grin plastered her face in well earned pride.

'_You foolish woman! Why did you take such a risk?' _Liara scolded her through their mental link_. 'That thing had you by the throat, she could have killed you.'_

'_Relax__,__ my love, I had everything under control. You saw it. I had to take down all her barriers, the grenade did the rest. I just had an idea….'_

'_No. It was not an __**idea**__. It was your pride. You had to show off, not just to that girl but to those that doubted you… call__ed__ you pretender…'_

'_Ash had nothing to do with this. But you're right. I wanted to give a good show. Morale right now is everything, Liara. We have to show everyone we can hold the line, we can win over impossible odds when everything is stacked against us and we're pushed to our very limits. I had to show them, Li.'_

'_I….'_ there was a hesitantly held breath and then a sigh. '_I understand__,__ Melethril.' _

The _tsunami_ had been a risk, a calculated one and in more ways then one. Shepard had counted on a lot of eyes watching this match, a lot of eyes realizing she was up against the elite class of Reapers with no cashes of ammo or medigel and little to no cover. She had proven even in theses odds, even taxed of reserves both physical and mental she had been able to overcome and triumph.

If she could do so alone, surely others could do so united.

It was a powerful statement.

'_Sometimes I love you more and more and sometimes__,__ Melethril__,__ I simply want to clap you upside the head__,__' _ Liara sent. '_Oh__,__ by the way__,__ your personal fan-girl arrived to see your last two rounds.'_ There was a distinct unturned growl to the last statement. '_She claims she has something you requested of her.'_

'_Liara, I said there is nothing between me and Traynor. And before you bring it up__,__ yes__,__ I let her take a shower in our quarters and use the hot tub in the apartment__,__ but there was nothing to that. We had a good couple of games of chess. Besides__,__ she knows I'm off the market. If anyone has cause to worry it's Joker, she __h__as a bigger crush on EDI than she had with me and then there's Allers who turned her head. They are always chatting it up.' _

'_Humph, yes well I shall give her a bit of a reminder that you are "taken".'_

'_Oh does this mean public display of affection?' _a playful tone laces the Spectre's voice. _'I'm all for it, babe.'_

'_I just bet you are.'_

PDA was most defiantly committed. Liara planted a very passionate, very dominating kiss upon her bondmate as soon as Sam exited the area grounds. Shepard hadn't even had a chance to hit the locker rooms to change before Liara set upon her and assaulted her lips. It was something Shepard easily gave into.

This time, Traynor was very careful as not to interrupt the couple as she had when she first came to the loft to introduce herself. Liara broke away from her bondmate with a very self-satisfying grin when she saw the very dazed look on her lover's tanned face. It was an expression she turned deliberately on the young Comm-Specialist as if to say, 'look what I have which will never be yours'. Oh the asari liked the human well enough, Traynor did a very efficient work, but her eyes simply lingered on the Commander more than the Shadow Broker was comfortable with.

'_It's the same way I feel whenever __Faron__ looks at you__,__ my love, or for that matter any number of people. I am yours, you are mine. Let them stare and fantasize all they want__,_' Samantha sent. She gave her wife another kiss before pulling away and turned her attention to her comm-specialist.

"Traynor, glad you made it."

"One hell of a show, Commander. That last move…when the banshee grabbed you…I was worried. But then you shoved a grenade into her mouth...brilliant. And that thing you did with your biotics, I didn't even think something like that was possible," Traynor said all practically in one breath. "Not that I had many experiences, well any really to see biotic explosions. I mean, you don't see stuff like that in R and D but wow! That was really something! Sims and vids don't even really come close do they? What a show!"

"Want to take a breath there Traynor?" Shepard teasingly chided.

"Right. Sorry. Just got caught up in the excitement. I mean since the war started this is your every day practically: facing impossible odds. But you did it. And that thingy you did with your biotics…!"

"Traynor!" Shepard was a little more stern this time as she quelled the excitable junior officer. At least with her the Spectre knew the emotions were genuine unlike 'Staff Analyst Maya Brooks' who put on a show obviously attempting to impersonate the nervous tendencies in both Chambers and Traynor. "You brought it didn't you?"

A deep blush darkened the already deeply tanned flesh of Traynor's cheeks. "Oh yes, sorry." She handed her CO an indigo blue velveteen box. Her face was lit up with a wide smile.

Liara gave her bondmate a curious look. "Isn't that a medal box?"

Sam nodded. "Something for little Lati T'Khanna." She opened it to show her beloved asari which medal was within. Her immediate award was another kiss. "I know I'll have to explain it to her, but I think she'll like it."

"She'll love it,_ Melethril_. And you are wonderful to think of it." Another kiss as she slipped her arm around Samantha's. "We should not keep them waiting much longer. I can hazard a guess that you hadn't told Matron T'Khanna what you have planned."

Sam shook her head once. "I wanted it to be a surprise for both of them. Besides, when a parent has a secret kids are clever enough to figure something's up. May not know what, but they can smell secretes a mile away."

This surprised both of the Spectre's companions. Her shoulders lifted and sagged. "Hey, you forget I was a kid once. Tell me you two didn't know when something was up when your parents got squirrelly."

"I do not believe I have seen my mother 'squirrelly'," Liara said humorously.

"Hard to imagine a matriarch being squirrelly," Traynor said

"Ofph you know what I mean," Shepard snorted. "Anyway, doesn't matter, I simply want to make this day special for Lati. I don't get it, of all the special things she could have asked for she asked to see me fight."

"_Melethril, _you are an inspiration to many, a hero. How can it be surprising that she asked to see you?" Liara touched Sam's cheek with the pad of her thumb. "Especially now when so many are desperate for hope. You are the rallying cry on the battle field; you, my love, have united the galaxy. To see you is to see hope ignited and courage found."

Sam gave a small smile. "No pressure." It was strange, because when Shepard asked Hackett he said much the same thing, you couldn't pay a soldier to believe, but she was something, someone to believe in. However humbling it was, the Spectre consigned herself to do whatever she could to bolster moral if that meant being a symbol so be it.

Thinking like that perhaps it wasn't so very strange that little Lati T'Khanna desired to meet her hero.

"Nan it was sooo wonderful!" Lati smiled, her face beaming brightly. "She bested that banshee! She blew it up. And that wave, Naneth!" Lati was so excited she lost what little control she had in her limbs, her tiny hands locked themselves into fists and her arms seized closer to her body. The doll dropped and rolled to the floor under her chair.

The toy was noticed by her mother but ignored. Her concern was for her child. She took hold of Lati and held her until the fit had passed.

There was a slight knock at the door, Manava turned to the noise almost irritated. Surely the arena officials wouldn't be kicking them out of the room so soon. Lati was still shaking from her fit.

"Please if you can just give us a moment…I know we need to clear the room…."

"No, Madam T'Khanna, that won't be necessary," a pleasant sounding turian woman said. She was the same Create-a-Dream liaison that had led them to the VIP before Shepard's match opened. "I was wondering if young Miss Lati wouldn't like to meet someone. I know she's very excited to meet her."

Manava looked up from her trembling child to the door, about to say her daughter was in no condition to meet anyone, when Commander Shepard passed through the threshold with a wide brilliant smile on her ruby lips.

"I hope that isn't a problem." She was still smiling as she crept closer then knelt down at Manava's feet as Lati was on her lap.

Lati squealed so loudly it hurt her mother's ears just a bit. Even Shepard winced a bit from the high-pitched noise of delight. "I was told someone very special was up here and I just had to meet her." The dazzling Spectre offered an alliance salute which caused the girl to laugh giddily and her trembling started a new.

"I'm sorry," Manava apologized quickly "She gets like this when she's overly excited, Commander Shepard."

Graciously the human bowed her head. "You have nothing to apologize for, Matron T'Khanna." There was a deeply worried look in those blue eyes that captured the mother.

"She'll be fine," Manava reassured the Commander knowing there was an unasked question as to how much damage this encounter would have for Lati.

"C—c—Commander Shepard!" Lati squeaked a stutter, her face nearly spit in two for the massive smile on her face. "You….you're here."

"Of course I am. And right now I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Tentatively the human reached out and stroked the small blue fisted hand.

Lati giggled. Her arms twitched from uncontrollable muscles spasms nearly clocking the human in the face but she backed up quickly enough to avoid the involuntary punch. Lati looked ashamed but Shepard quickly sidestepped the girl's painful embarrassment.

"He-ey I bet with a swing like that you could have punched that creepy banshee right out. You wouldn't even have needed that grenade."

Lati was all grins and giggles once more as was her mother mouthed the words 'thank you'. Another gracious nod of the raven haired head. It was then the Spectre noticed the toy laying on the floor under the hover chair. "What's this?" She reached down and picked up the action figure. "She looks a little familiar." She held it up to her face, looked at it and wiggled it a little causing the girl to burst into a new fit of giggles. "Though I think she got a little lost.

As Lati's hands were barely now opening they still had no strength to grip anything, Sam handed the toy to the mother for safe keeping. The matron held onto the toy in one hand as she cradled her child. "Thank you. I don't know what she'd do if she lost it, she takes it everywhere with her."

"It's my favorite. Naneth got her for me…when I had to go to hospital." The girl looked down. "I have to go hospital a lot. Sometimes I get scared. But she…you help not to be so scared."

Sam smiled warmly, "You're Mamma told me your story, Lati, and I think you are very brave. And being scared isn't bad. You faced those fears, sweetheart, and you came through it. That's a very brave thing to do."

The child sat a little taller on her mother's lap.

"I know you're fighting a very tough battle, little one. One day you will win it, just like we will win against the Reapers. You're battle is just as tough, I want you to know that. And you are facing it just like any huntress would."

"I'll never be one."

"Oh, I disagree. I think you are already one, Lati. You don't fight a battle like yours and not be a huntress in your heart. In the Alliance when a soldier is wounded in battle they are given a very special medal. It's called a Purple Heart. The only difference is that the enemy was inside you." Sam reached into her hardsuit's utility belt and took out the little box Traynor had retrieved from her quarters. This was one of five purple hearts she had received over her tenure in the service.

She held it up for the child to see the medal. "You see it was one of mine. I got after I defeated Saren and part of his ship landed on me. I got pretty banged-up from it. Now I'd like to give it to you."

The girl's eyes light up. "Naneth can I?"

Manava's blue eyes glistened with joyful tears. "Of course, Little Faerie."

Shepard held up the Heart, "Would you like your Naneth to pin it on you or would you like me to do it?"

Lati eyes grew large with excitement. "You will?"

"It would be my honor, little huntress." Sam placed the medal on the child's tee-shirt, right through the D of the word Normandy. "By the way I like your shirt."

Lati giggled once more, her arms once again convulsed as she lost control over her muscles. Sam penitently waited until she was soothed enough, tentatively she reached out and touched the child's cheek as if she were comforting her own daughter's face, as if she were Secura, her little Sparrow who had been so cruelly taken from her while she was still growing in her mother's womb.

Once the child calmed again Sam leaned forward and pressed her forehead against the girl's in the same parental way. "You are incredibly special, Lati T'Khanna, never ever forget that."

Despite the fact she had little motor control, Lati flung her arms around the Spectre's neck in a fearsome hug. "I love you, Commander Shepard," she blurted out.

Sam hugged her back. "You're special to me to me too, sweet one." She gingerly pulled away. And with the tip of her finger bumped Lati's small button nose. "I have to go now, okay?"

The girl was crying now but nodded her head as her throat was too thick for words to form.

"Just remember what I said. And I know deep in my gut, in my heart, you are one of the bravest people I know and so is your Mamma…er… Naneth. You stay safe now, okay," she winked. "And only cause a little mischief, just enough to talk your way out of it. And never trust anyone who doesn't have a sense of humor." She winked again.

Lati's tears turned into more giggles.

Shepard rose to her feet and when she did Manava did as well. She gently sat Lati back into her chair and secured her within the padded confines so she would not fall out should another seizure take her.

"Commander Shepard...I…Thank you." The mother was finding it hard to form words as her own emotions were overcoming her. "You mean so much to Lati. My daughter always says you aren't just a soldier...you're a hero. Now I know what the difference is. We'll never forget you or what you did for us. I can never thank you enough."

Sam clasped her hands with of those of the other woman and gave a warm and very gallant smile. "Matron T'Khanna, believe me the honor was all mine. May the Goddess lighten your path."

"And yours, Commander."

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

300 years after the complete destruction of the Reapers.

Upon a mantel sealed in a glass display case was a much loved action figure of Commander Samantha Secura Shepard, the hero who saved the galaxy from the Reapers. On her left hand and arm was an orange plastic replica of an omni tool. The arm was tucked in close to her body in an upward punch. In her right hand was the little N7 Hurricane. Next to it in a glass fronted frame was an Alliance-issued Purple Heart medal. The edges of the ribbon were frayed just a bit as if the medal had been hanging upon the lapel of many articles of clothing for years before being safely tucked away behind a frame.

Almost every morning since it was given to her, Lati T'Khanna reached out and touched the heart even now as it was behind the glass. The very act gave her courage, it always had and on the bad days when her muscles refused to obey her will, the Heart was taken out of its safe place, first by her mother and then in later years by her bondmate, and given to her to hold. On those days the Purple Heart brought to her great comfort and a great calm and soon the muscle spasms ceased.

The Purple Heart had taken on such an iconic presence in the house that it was 'magic' to a very young asari girl who had the bearing of an eight year old, though was actually nearer to twenty earth years. She looked at the doll and the magic Heart. She stood upon an ataman she had maneuvered into position and raised upon her tip-toes to touch the Heart that always calmed her Arda. She had not paid attention to the thing she had moved out of the way until it toppled over and crashed to the floor. Glass shattered in thousand shards on the hardwood floor.

The toy replica lay amongst the ruins. The girl starred at the mess and her lower lip quibbled as tears formed in her eyes. She just killed Commander Shepard! Arda was going to kill her! Never ever forgive her!

"Sa'matha?" Lati now a matron moved as quickly as her mobile-assent suite allowed her. "Are you hurt, child?"

The girl still standing upon the footstool shook her head, but she was still weeping.

"I'm…sorry! I'm sorry!"

Lati looked to the shattered remains of the display case and the plastic toy laying amongst it, both the little gun and the omni tool attachment had fallen off. "Oh dear it appears Commander Shepard as suffered an accident."

"I only wanted to…to…touch your magic Heart, Ada. I'm sorry. I didn't meat to break Commander Shepard. I'm so so soo sooo sorry!"

Lati moved to her child's side. She reached out her hand to help Sa'matha down off the footstool as she could not physically lift her now that the child was older. Only the suit gave her muscles the strength to move nearly independently from her hover chair.

"Look, love, you didn't break her, nothing can break her. Not Saren or Sovereign, not the Collectors, not Cerberus and not the Reapers. See, she is only a little banged-up. We just pick her up and clean up the pieces. Hum?"

The child nodded. Both her eyes and nose watery causing her to sniffle and wipe her nose on the back of her sleeve, which gained her a slight disapproving look from her sire.

"Now go into the kitchen. First you will blow your nose and then you will retrieve a dustpan and broom. We will clean up this mess."

"Yes, Ada." The child hiccupped from her tears.

With great effort Lati knelt down upon one knee and took her daughter into her arms. "If you ever wish to see the Heart you need only ask next time."

The girl obeyed quickly. Still on one knee Lati made her way to the doll that had for so long been the incarnation of courage to her. Her hand traced over the pained face and saw that there was now a nick near the left cheek, ironically in the same place the real Commander Shepard had a scar, one of many 'new' ones she had gained after she was found amongst the debris within the Citadel.

Lati brought the doll to her lips and kissed its crown. "Thank you, Commander. Because of you I now have a little girl of my own," she smiled as she spoke to the silent doll. "She's named for you in asari tradition-Sa'matha." The Smile grew more prideful. "She causes only just enough mischief that she can talk her way out of and she doesn't rust anyone who doesn't have a sense of humor." Lati smiled. "She wants to be a Spectre, you know. You might think it was to honor you. I did. But she told me it was for me. She said she wanted to be a Spectre because a Spectre once gave me hope and the courage to face hardship. She wants to pay that gift forward not back. Thank you for that too, Commander. "

The girl in question came back out of the kitchen carrying both boom and dustpan and looking very contrite. "Come now. There is no sense worrying over the things you can solve and this is easily fixed. As for the brave Commander, we'll just have to find her a new place to call home for a while. But see for yourself she's still here."

END


End file.
